FREE SCREENINGS OFFERED THROUGH THE GCHD

By: Eileen Dawley, RN Chief Nursing Officer Galveston County Health District
Did you know the two most common risk factors for breast cancer is being a woman and getting older? Breast cancer is the most common for women in the United States and this year alone, more than 260,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women with more than 2,500 cases in men. October marks National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a chance to show support for breast cancer awareness, early detection and treatment. Galveston County Health District (GCHD) is proud to increase awareness about the importance of early breast cancer detection through its partnerships with D’Feet Breast Cancer and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Breast and Cervical Cancer Services (BCCS). Both programs offer free breast cancer and cervical cancer screenings to eligible Galveston County women, all available at GCHD or one of its partnering locations. Every two minutes, one case of breast cancer is diagnosed in a woman in the United States. GCHD, in partnership with D’Feet Breast Cancer and BCCS, aims to change those numbers for Galveston County women. We work closely with D’Feet Breast Cancer, a volunteer non-profit, to provide uninsured and underserved women ages 40-64 free mammograms and diagnostic care, as well as community outreach. The group receives funding from Susan G. Komen Houston and other non-profit organizations. BCCS offers uninsured and underserved women ages 50-64 access to breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services. Both organizations are wonderful community health assets that offer some of the most important services to women in our county who otherwise may not be able to afford breast and cervical cancer screenings. Receiving regular screenings is the best way to prevent and detect breast cancer in its earliest stages, increasing a woman’s chance of survival. Through D’Feet Breast Cancer and BCCS, more than 550 screening mammograms have been done this year with five patients diagnosed with breast cancer following screenings facilitated by GCHD. Improvements in early detection and treatment have led to a 39 percent decrease in breast cancer deaths 1989-2015 with more than six million breast cancer survivors currently living around the world. Risk factors you cannot change include age, genetic mutations, reproductive history, personal medical history and family medical history. There are risk factors you can control. Those include not being physically active, being overweight or obese after menopause, taking hormones, reproductive history and drinking alcohol. For more information regarding breast and cervical cancer screenings, call GCHD Community Health Services at 409-938-2236 or 409-938-2270.